Chapter 3 Between Blood and Fire

Sasha

He watches me for a moment, those silver eyes piercing through me. Then, slowly, he smirks that slow, predatory smirk.

- This isn't over.

And just like that, he vanishes into the shadows.

Dante stays silent for a long moment, his gaze still fixed where Adrian stood seconds ago. Then he turns to me, his eyes burning with restrained fury.

- You have five seconds to explain why a vampire knows your name.

I grit my teeth.

This night just turned into a fucking nightmare.

Dante doesn't move.

He stands there, his burning gaze locked on me, his body tense like a blade ready to strike. The air between us is electric, heavy with unsaid words and something else-something far more dangerous.

- Explain.

His voice is too calm. That's what worries me the most.

I lift my chin, refusing to be intimidated.

- He found me by chance.

- Do you really expect me to believe that?

His brows knit together, and his jaw tightens as he fights to keep his anger in check. I know him well enough to realize he can sense when I'm not telling the whole truth. And right now, he's barely restraining himself.

- Dante, listen to me-

- Listen to what, Sasha? His voice sharpens, losing its false calm. That you're wandering alone at night in vampire territory? That one of them knows your name and seems... He pauses for a second, his eyes darkening. Interested?

I cross my arms, irritated by his accusing tone.

- I didn't ask for this.

- But you didn't push him away either.

I swallow hard. This isn't the first time Dante and I have argued, but this time, it's different. There's something deeper in his gaze, something more... personal.

- I do what I want, Dante. Just because my father ordered you to watch over me doesn't mean you have a say in my life.

He freezes.

I see it in his eyes-he takes that as a slap to the face. And strangely, that hurts me too. Dante isn't just some enforcer of the pack. He's the one who has always been there. The one chosen to be my future Alpha, my future mate.

The one who has always wanted more than I could give.

He steps closer, and I catch his familiar scent-wolf and steel, the lingering trace of blood he's probably spilled tonight. He lifts a hand, his fingers brushing against my cheek in an uncharacteristically gentle touch.

- What you want? His voice is lower now, rougher. And what is it that you want, Sasha?

My heart stutters.

Dante has never asked me that before. He has always followed the path set by my father, by the pack. He has always acted as if my future with him was inevitable. But tonight, he's waiting for an answer.

And I don't know what to say.

So, I do what I do best-I turn away.

- This isn't the time for this.

His hand tightens around my wrist-not hard, just enough to make me pause.

- Sasha...

I close my eyes.

- Go home, Dante.

A long silence.

Then, he lets go of my wrist and takes a step back, his anger shifting into something else. Something far worse.

Disappointment.

- Fine.

His voice is cold. Sharp.

I keep my back turned, even when I hear his footsteps retreating, even when the sound of his motorcycle rips through the night as he disappears down the road.

When I open my eyes, the alley is empty.

But I can still feel him.

Not Dante.

The other presence.

The shadow in the night.

- You're not as subtle as you think, I murmur.

A soft chuckle echoes nearby, and a figure slowly steps away from the wall to my right.

Adrian.

Of course.

- Sorry, he says, not sounding sorry at all. I found the scene fascinating.

I glare at him.

- You were spying on us?

He lifts a brow, feigning innocence.

- Spying is such an ugly word. I was merely... observing.

My fists clench. This man-no, this vampire-irritates me more than anyone I've ever met. Maybe because he plays with me. Maybe because he unsettles me more than I want to admit.

- Why are you still here, Adrian?

He moves closer, too slowly, like a predator savoring the hunt.

- Because you intrigue me.

I step back.

He smiles.

- And because that wolf... His gaze flickers toward where Dante disappeared. He wants you like you already belong to him.

My pulse jumps.

- That's none of your concern.

Adrian stops just in front of me, close enough that I can see every detail of his face under the dim glow of the streetlights.

- Oh, but it is.

- Why?

He studies me for a long moment before murmuring:

- Because I want you too.

A shiver runs down my spine.

His words are a threat, a promise, a declaration of war.

And the worst part...

I like it.

Sasha

I should have left.

I should have walked away before things escalated.

But now it's too late.

Dante is standing a few feet away, his golden eyes burning with fury. His entire posture is tense, ready for a fight. Adrian, on the other hand, looks utterly relaxed-too relaxed. But I know better. He's just as dangerous, just as volatile.

And I'm stuck between them.

- Step away from her.

Dante's voice is a low growl, an Alpha's command.

Adrian tilts his head, completely unimpressed.

- You wolves and your possessiveness... He chuckles, shaking his head. Tell me, Dante, do you think barking orders will make her yours?

Dante's fists clench.

- I don't need to claim what's already mine.

I inhale sharply.